Letters to the Editor

Rarely do I write about Lake Mohawk issues in a letter-to-the-editor section. However, I do copy the lake on many of my letters that go in local papers but the board has to approve what I write and, so far, none of my letters to the editor have been printed in our Mohawk Newsletter.

However, to be fair, Mohawk did insert a “Current Issue” section in our newsletter and I pushed for that and did get some letters in that forum as long as they were related to the lake and approved by the board, but the Current Issue section no longer is in the newsletter because there were not enough contributors. Actually, I would’ve contributed every month. I’m into freedom of the press.

Last week I read an article in the local papers regarding Malvern Village Council and the hourly wage increases some of the council members received. One person working 10 hours a week received an increase from $13.50 per hour to $22.50 per hour. I am the world’s worst money manager and math expert but I think that comes out to $225 for a 10 hour work week. I think another raise went up to over $30 an hour. Then I recalled the days when some of the council entitled themselves to some big time money. It almost moved me to get a job.

Here’s the deal: where in the world did these entities get the right to take tax money and do what the heck they want with it without asking their constituents first?

And, where in the world does the board at Lake Mohawk have the right to get a last minute dues increase three weeks before the current dues are due. When did it become ok to play with other people’s money?

As I have admitted many, many times just how incompetent I used to be with money, the fact that I have “money sobered-up,” which allows me to recognize when things don’t add up (no pun intended). If the board needs a dues increase, then they should have put it on a ballot months and months ago and before they did that, they should have gone to the people a long time ago and made their case as to why they need additional funds. The folks at Mohawk need to know the short term and long term details on this action. I’m not the brightest senior in the club but even I have a concern, especially when we get into the loan world. Man oh man, I could write a best seller on that subject.

Ok, let me wrap this up. Malvern: Wake Up. Mohawk: Wake Up.

Terry Vahila

Malvern, OH

To the Editor:

Our democracy is based upon the Constitution, with a balance of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. We rely upon the hard questions that good journalism demands to hold our leaders accountable and to keep the populace informed.

Many who are expressing concerns about the Trump presidency do so because of his apparent lack of knowledge and even derision of the above institutions. Public discourse and yes, even taking to the streets in peaceful protest, is an integral part of our democracy. Without a healthy respect of checks and balances, our democracy dissolves into chaos and authoritarianism. This is what we, no matter our political affiliation, fear most about the Trump presidency.

John and Gail Walker

Carrollton, OH

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